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have emerged as energetic partners in this
process of economic change.

An intelligent activist stance by
colleges is no accident. Over the years
each institution has collected a staff
with professional training, diverse back-
grounds and a taste for community involve-
ment. While devotion to teaching has
continued as a primary focus, college
people have also invented businesses,
sponsored public societies, run for
public office and worked on community
projects. They now are a well-developed
human resource which has automatically
shifted into high gear because they were
challenged by the overwhelming community
need for economic renewal.

How are they contributing?

Colleges are working directly with
municipalities to attract new industry
and to promote industrial renewal. They
can supply tailored manpower training
for new staff and they can deliver
specialized research and development
services to enterprises.

Colleges are attractive community ameni-
ties for relocating industries sensitive
to the needs of the families of their
employees. They are a persuasive drawing
card because they serve all adult age
groups with demanding credit courses and
stimulating general interest programs
that enrich the artistic and cultural
life of their communities.

The encouragement of small business
development is especially dear to college
hearts. Every college has a business
department that is regularly in contact
with local businesses. Management
seminars, taxation clinics, entrepreneur
development, product research, market
analysis, technology transfer, computer
applications, and employee development arg
only some of the ways colleges serve
small business. Recently, small business
development centres have been proposed

to enable every college in the province
to join with local governments in promo-
ting the growth and survival of this

 

healthiest of job-producing economic
sectors.

International trade development in
Pacific Rim countries requires extensive
preparation. Colleges are teaching
traditional Asian studies in collabora-
tion with the universities but have
extended themselves into languages,
trade briefings, and interpreter training
They are becoming the training partner

in offshore joint ventures which involve
technology transfer to developing nations
Sister institution relationships are
forging links throughout Asia and these
relationships aid Canadian businesses to
make effective contacts with leaders in
foreign governments where manpower
development policy is being made. A
college can be a key influence on who is
chosen to provide services to the inter-
national marketplace.

International students brought to
British Columbia by colleges for training
or on exchange programs are an important
resource. They provide our young people
with an essential experience of the
language and culture of our economic
neighbours. The international students
themselves will become, through familiar-
ity and friendship, the instinctive
trading partners of the future.

The information revolution and its
industrial impacts are the stuff of

the modern college curriculum. Students
learn word processing and microcomputer
applications as a matter of routine.
Several institutions offer new programs
in computer assisted design while
others offer robotics technology and
microprocessor industrial controls.
Still others are developing electronic
communications networks and using inter-
active videodisc systems for industrial
skill training.

These essential skills of the eighties
are being supplied both to young people
entering college for the first time

and to their parents who must re-train
to stay employable. A large proportion
of the work force for tomorrow's high